Dydo Grandtime Vanilla Drink: I found this in a Dydo-branded vending machine at the Tameiko-Sanno Subway Station in Tokyo and decided to give it a try. I couldn't read the Japanese, but I guessed that it was flavored like vanilla ice cream from the graphic on the can. It has a milky, slightly-yellow semi-opaque color and tastes really strongly of Breyer's Vanilla Ice Cream, or something that I had growing up at kid's birthday parties. It was way too sweet and honestly pretty gross. I didn't want to finish the whole c... (read more) 1.0/5.0
drinks avoid vendingmachines japanese dydo grandtime vanilla drink 1.0
Dydo Melon Shake: There were always tons of Dydo vending machines in Tokyo selling discounted drinks at most street corners or metro stops. Perhaps because drinking in public is considered a bit of a faux paus in Japan, lots of the vending machines sell very small bottles for quickly quenching your thirst. This small melon shake came in a stout aluminum can / bottle and is an uncarbonated combination of melon and sugary milk. It had an unmistakable cantaloupe flavor but tasted more like candy than a drink.... (read more) 2.0/5.0
drinks vendingmachines japanese dydo melon shake 2.0
Emial Tapiocatime Royal Latte: My sleep has been terrible, with jetlag and the world burning down, so I've been relying on caffeinated beverages more than normal. On my way to lab, I purchased this tapioca drink from 7-11. It's an iced coffee, very sweet, that contains gelatinous balls that aren't quite like normal starchy and chewy tapioca but have a unique texture all its own that I surprisingly enjoyed. It reminds me a little bit of a more chewy jellyfish, which I know is not the most appetizing comparison but the cl... (read more) 3.5/5.0
drinks coffee japanese 711 emial tapiocatime royal latte 3.5 recommended
Family Mart Melon Gelato Frappe: I was perusing the offering at the Japanese convenience store Family Mart and found a selection of frozen "drinks," or frappes. They have a bunch of different flavors, including strawberry, peach, and banana. I decided to try the Melon, which seems to be a special flavor in Japan (I recently had melon-flavored soda at Moss Burger for example). The drink comes frozen but has a conical lid that extends almost to the base of the cup, keeping the center hollow. Once you purchase the drink, yo... (read more) 2.5/5.0
drinks familymart japanese melon gelato frappe 2.5
Fanta Socata Soda: This is a limited edition vending-machine exclusive in Japan from Fanta, the first in a series they're calling 'Delicious Flavours of the World,' where they introduce flavors only available in other regions of the world to the Japanese market. I found out about it because I was intrigued by the name SOCATA?! on the label, with the universal white and blue color scheme of mystery flavors (e.g. White Air Heads, Mystery Oreo, etc.) The label also features a castle in the background, hinting a... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks soda japanese vendingmachine fanta socata 3.5
Fanta Premier Peach Soda: Fanta has all sorts of flavors in Japan that you can't get in the US, including melon, pineapple, and now peach. It's made with 13% actual juice (Minute Maid branded) to give you a sense of a potential gap between packaging / marketing and actual contents. The soda has a champagne gold color and tastes very much like peach-flavored candies. In particular, I used to love eating Kasugai Japanese fruit gummies that came individually wrapped and were shaped like half domes; this drink is like... (read more) 3.0/5.0
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